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Musk merges xAI into SpaceX in bid to build space data centers

Elon Musk's SpaceX has taken over his artificial intelligence company xAI in a merger aimed at deploying space-based data centers, a statement said on Monday.

New York records 13 cold-related deaths since late January

New York has counted 13 hypothermia-related deaths as the city faces an exceptional cold snap that swept large parts of the United States in late January, its mayor said Monday.

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Mbappe, PSG face off in multi-million lawsuit

The bitter dispute between Kylian Mbappe and his former club Paris Saint-Germain reached the French Labour court on Monday for a tense hearing in which the France striker claimed 263 million ($304m) and the club responded by demanding he pay them 440m euros.

Western aid cuts could cause 22.6 million deaths, researchers say

More than 22 million people, many of them children, could die preventable deaths by 2030 due to aid cuts by the United States and European countries, new research said Monday.

South Korea pledges to phase out coal plants at COP30

South Korea pledged Monday to phase out coal power plants that lack emission-reducing measures, an ambitious step for a country that generates a third of its electricity from the fossil fuel.

Ex-PSG footballer Hamraoui claims 3.5m euros damages against club

Former Paris Saint-Germain women's footballer Kheira Hamraoui filed a 3.5 million-euro ($4m) claim against the club on Monday, alleging that she was forced out after she was brutally attacked with an iron bar.

Mbappe, PSG in counterclaims worth hundreds of millions

France captain Kylian Mbappe on Monday claimed 240 million euros ($278m) in damages from Paris Saint-Germain in an escalating dispute over the status of his contract and how his former club treated him.

Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X planes despite delays

Emirates, the Middle East's biggest airline, topped up its order of Boeing 777X planes on Monday despite years of delays, delivering a vote of confidence to the US manufacturer at the Dubai Airshow.

Trade tensions force EU to cut 2026 eurozone growth forecast

The eurozone economy will grow less than expected next year, the EU executive predicted on Monday, as risks from international trade and geopolitical tensions weigh on the single currency area.

EU predicts less eurozone 2026 growth due to trade tensions

The EU on Monday cut its eurozone growth forecast for 2026 as risks from international trade and geopolitical tensions weigh on Europe's economy.

Swiss growth suffered from US tariffs in Q3: data

Switzerland's economy contracted in the third quarter of the year, suffering from high US tariffs which abruptly curtailed exports across the Atlantic, the economy ministry said on Monday.

Carbon capture promoters turn up in numbers at COP30: NGO

Companies and groups backing carbon-capture technology, which critics slam as an excuse to keep burning fossil fuels, have deployed more than 500 participants to the COP30 climate talks, according to a list compiled by an NGO and shared exclusively with AFP.

Japan-China spat sinks tourism stocks

Japanese tourism and retail shares fell sharply on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid travelling to the East Asian country in a spat over comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan.

Zelensky in Paris to seek air defence help for Ukraine

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Paris on Monday in a new bid to secure weaponry to defend his country against increasingly lethal Russian missile and drone attacks.

Pope urges leaders not to leave poor behind

Pope Leo XIV decried poverty on Sunday, urging world leaders and Catholics to reach out to marginalised people, as the Church celebrated a "Jubilee of the Poor".

Greece to supply winter gas to war battered Ukraine

Greece signed a deal with Ukraine on Sunday to supply US-origin liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the war-battered country whose energy infrastructure has been crippled by Russian strikes.

India and Pakistan blind women show spirit of cricket with handshakes

Blind women from India and Pakistan brushed aside political tensions on Sunday, shaking hands in neutral Sri Lanka at a cricket tournament for the visually impaired.

Samsung plans $310 bn investment to power AI expansion

South Korean conglomerate Samsung unveiled on Sunday a plan to invest $310 billion over the next five years mostly in technology powering artificial intelligence, aiming to meet growing demand driven by a global boom.

Gambling ads target Indonesian Meta users despite ban

Gambling promoters are using deceptive marketing tactics to reach Indonesian users across Meta platforms, despite the company's policies and a government crackdown on the illegal practice.

Luxury houses eye India, but barriers remain

The globe's biggest luxury brands have dreamt of India's vast consumer base for decades, but navigating the market has proven to be a complex task.

Budget coffee start-up leaves bitter taste in Berlin

Instantly recognisable by their electric blue shop fronts, branches of LAP Coffee have become a common sight in Berlin's hippest neighbourhoods over the past two years.

Spike Lee gifts pope Knicks jersey as pontiff meets film stars

Spike Lee presented Pope Leo XIV with a New York Knicks jersey on Saturday as the US pope welcomed film stars to the Vatican, where he called cinema a vehicle of hope.

BBC caught in crossfire of polarised political and media landscape

Accused of being biased by some, defended as a champion of impartiality by others, the BBC is once again the subject of a thorny debate about the role of a publicly funded broadcaster in an increasingly polarised landscape.

Brazilian 'Superman' cheers child cancer patients in Ghana

The three-storey Child Health Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana's capital Accra is a place with hushed corridors, laboured breathing and parents clutching on to hope.

Trump signs order to lower tariffs on beef, coffee, other goods

President Donald Trump signed an order Friday to lower US tariffs on agriculture imports such as beef, bananas, coffee and tomatoes, as his government comes under pressure from voters grappling with the escalating cost of living.

Return to bad days of hyperinflation looms in Venezuela

Venezuelans are grappling with political and economic chaos, a mass population exodus and fears of a US military attack. Now, their wallets are ever thinner as a return to hyperinflation looms.

US airspace recovers as budget shutdown ends

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday that US air travel is recovering after the disruptions caused by the more than month-long government funding shutdown.

US, Switzerland say deal reached on trade and tariffs

The United States and Switzerland said Friday that they have reached an agreement to sharply lower tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, with the Alpine nation vowing to invest $200 billion in the US to win over the White House.

Stocks struggle on US rates, tech rally fears

Global stock markets struggled for momentum Friday as doubts built over whether the US Federal Reserve would cut interest rates next month and amid persistent fears of a tech bubble.

US, Switzerland say reached deal on trade and tariffs

The United States and Switzerland are set to unveil details of a trade pact Friday, with both sides reaching an agreement to sharply lower tariffs recently imposed by President Donald Trump, officials said.

Saudi prince, eyeing defence pledge, to meet Trump after long US absence

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will press for security guarantees while US President Donald Trump will urge him to normalise ties with Israel when the de facto Saudi ruler breaks a seven-year absence from Washington this week.

Doctors in England launch strike over pay and jobs

Thousands of doctors in England began a five-day strike on Friday over pay and training posts, the 13th walkout by medics since March 2023.

Stocks sink on fears over tech rally, US rates

Global stock markets sank Friday as doubts built over next month's US Federal Reserve interest rate decision and persistent speculation about a tech bubble.

Germany unveils debt-laden budget, relief measures

The German parliament's budget committee has approved revised 2026 spending plans that include even higher debts than originally thought, lawmakers said Friday, as the government gears up for an investment splurge.

The Japan Times - Economy (English)